Defending Laicité, Promoting Reason and Science<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Roger Lepeix

 

News from the French National Freethought Federation La Libre Pensée

 

The French Freethought Federation has been very active in 2000 and 2001.

 

Successful Conferences

First of all, at the national level, we have organized four important conferences:

 

In July 2000, we held a big international conference, with more than 300 people, in Avignon. Held inside the magnificent Cityhall close to the Palace of the Popes, the Conference had the provocative title: No, Jesus- Christ never existed. After 2000 years of darkness, Free Thinking is the hope for Humanity. Apart from examining proof for existence of the legendary character and central actor of Christian mythology, the conference mainly discussed, during two full days, the history and activities of the Christian church. All religions, and Christianity in particular, have been against any progress, and civilisation happened despite the priesthood. Now again, in the present time, the Church of Rome is the main accomplice to all the governments of the European Union, for putting in practice their plans of social regression.

 

In September 2000 we organized in Paris a scientific conference, with about 150 scientists and researchers from Universities. The Conference examined how irrationality is being introduced into the domain of science, and denounced the use of impostures against science. At this conference the French Free Thought Federation was back in its historical role, fighting for independent and free thinking in scientific bodies, and for the complete separation between science and religion. A widely supported appeal (see box item in this magazine) was issued by scientists attending the conference.

 

Two items are the major focus of our activity: the defence of equality of rights of all citizens, and the defence of the law of 1905, which guarantees the Separation of Church and State. So, early March 2001 saw almost 500 people meeting in Nantes at a national conference called in defence of our republican heritage: the French republican heritage includes secularism and equal rights for all citizens. A few other associations have been involved in the preparation of this conference, showing that the process of pooling together our strengths in defence of democratic rights is actually succeeding. In France, for historical reasons, social and democratic rights are based in the nation. We are therefore fighting against the European Union in Brussels, which wants to use regions against nation, and also against social and democratic rights. Towards the end of March 2001, our Institute for Research and Studies on Free Thinking, recently created by our Federation, organized its first national conference, by inviting many people from Universities, mainly historians. Our Federation is very proud of its own history, and of the important role French Freethinkers have played in obtaining democratic rights, in particular their instrumental role in obtaining support for the law of Separation of Church and State of 1905. On the occasion of this conference we enabled public access to our library in Paris, where all people interested in the history of Free thought can now come and work. These conferences have all been very successful, with enthusiastic support and collaboration from other organisations. The success was also because of the quality of speakers and discussions, and above all in attendance and even press coverage. They have shown that the French Freethought Federation is growing and cannot any more be ignored in the fight for defence of secularism and republican rights. We work together with others for the defence of the republican heritage and of the separation law: to defend what we in French call laïcité.

 

We are very grateful to IHEU for their help in the success of some of these events.

 

Lobbying

Conferences are naturally only a part of our activities. We have been invited by several ministries and officials, and we explained to them formally, and publicly, why we disagree with some decisions taken there, when they were against secular principles, or in violation of the 1905 law. Governmental decisions in violation of secular principles are now more common, under permanent pressure of the European Union.

 

Our Federation is vigilant and continues to exert pressure through petitions, delegations, public initiatives aimed at defending the 1905 law, public and secular schools, and democratic rights.

 

In 2001 we organised a big conference in Paris on June 24th, in defence of instruction in public schools, and against public funding to private schools.

 

In December 2001 we organised a successful conference in Strasburg, (under the aegis of the IHEU) demanding the extension of the law of Separation of Church and State to the Alsace-Moselle part of France (which currently is exempted because of historical reasons), and against the extension of its present clerical status to the whole country, which we fear is the hidden objective of the government.

 

The separation of Religion and State is our central and universal objective, and we think that it is also one of the objectives of the IHEU. We have therefore to join our efforts, and also to ask all associations in all countries to work in this direction.

 

Future events

We are going to organise in September 2002 an international conference under the aegis of the IHEU to mark the bi-centenary of Thomas JeffersonÕs famous letter on the wall of Separation between Church and State. This will be a prestigious Conference and will be held in the Sorbonne. Famous Jefferson scholars and well-known activists will participate from the US, Canada and France.

 

In the longer term, we have proposed to host in Paris the 2005 Congress of IHEU, and we are very proud that IHEU has accepted it at the last General Assembly in Oslo. We are now prepared to organize a great event, in the year when we mark the centenary of the 1905 French law of Separation of Church and State, and for extending to all parts of the world, the secular way of life.

 

Roger Lepeix is past-President of the French Freethought Federation and is currently a member of its National Committee.